Acclimating transhipper fish

[hairalgae85]

I have been scouring the web in search of a good method to acclimate transhipper fish. These are coming from the Philippines, so I imagine they will be in transit in a bag at least 24 hours.

I have read everything from float for temp and drop in quarantine tank, to drip upwards of two hours, to swapping out the water for new water to get rid of the foul, ammonia laden water.

Anyone have a good understanding of how to do this?

Thanks

[brett_schn]

Originally Posted by hairalgae85

I have been scouring the web in search of a good method to acclimate transhipper fish. These are coming from the Philippines, so I imagine they will be in transit in a bag at least 24 hours.



I have read everything from float for temp and drop in quarantine tank, to drip upwards of two hours, to swapping out the water for new water to get rid of the foul, ammonia laden water.



Anyone have a good understanding of how to do this?



Thanks

First float the bag for like 30min then drip acclimate them and double the water in the bucket u acclimate them. Then take out the fish from acclimation water. Get rid of that water and place only the fish in the qt tank if u are qt them if not just place them in the dt


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[MMacro]

Do NOT drip acclimate. It will do more harm than good. Temp acclimate for 10-15 minutes (float) then put them into a quarantine tank with the same salinity as the bag water.
Read this.

[brett_schn]

Originally Posted by MMacro

Do NOT drip acclimate. It will do more harm than good. Temp acclimate for 10-15 minutes (float) then put them into a quarantine tank with the same salinity as the bag water.

Read this.

Why is that?


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[MMacro]

Originally Posted by brett_schn

Why is that?


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http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1959576

[brett_schn]

Originally Posted by MMacro

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1959576

Wow I'm glad I never dripped the only reason why I haven't yet before I read that article is because I don't have the airline hose. Granted everything currently is from my lfs 2min away.


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[JustinM]

For people that are too lazy to click on links, there is likely ammonia in shipping bags that when exposed to oxygen becomes very lethal.

I will add this, a lot of shippers have claimed to have this salinity but really have this salinity. It is always wise to know the salinity of where it came from but always check too! A simple pin ***** will suffice for this. Make sure it is well below the water line though, to not let in air.

[hairalgae85]

All this makes sense in my head, with one exception. The guy who is bringing these fish in tells me the pH in the bag is sometimes, 7.2, 7.3. if you float bag, then release in quarantine tank, assuming it has a normal pH, would that 7.2 to 8.1 pH jump shock them?

[ca1ore]

Well, it's the pH jump that turns harmless ammonium into lethal ammonia; so while in a perfect world, one would match pH, in practice it's something to avoid. If you do QT, and you should, best practice has been established for a while now. It's as noted above, float 15 mins. for temperature, then release into a salinity matched QT tank. I've been doing it this way for almost a decade and it works really very well.

[hairalgae85]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Well, it's the pH jump that turns harmless ammonium into lethal ammonia; so while in a perfect world, one would match pH, in practice it's something to avoid. If you do QT, and you should, best practice has been established for a while now. It's as noted above, float 15 mins. for temperature, then release into a salinity matched QT tank. I've been doing it this way for almost a decade and it works really very well.

Ok, I've done this when getting fish from lfs where the bag time is less than an hour or so.

You would definitely still do this method with fish coming from phillipines and have been in bag for a long period of time?

Just being absolutely sure, I almost regret ordering from here.

If the pH on the bag is say 7.3, and my quarantine tank is 8.0, temp adjusting by floating then releasing in 8.0 pH (.6 tenth increase) should be okay?

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by hairalgae85

Ok, I've done this when getting fish from lfs where the bag time is less than an hour or so.

If a fish has been in the bag for a short period of time, there wlll not be much if any buildup of ammonia, and respiration will not have driven up CO2 in the bag therefore the pH should not have dropped. You can drip acclimate these if you wish, though best practice remains salinity match to a QT.

Originally Posted by hairalgae85

You would definitely still do this method with fish coming from phillipines and have been in bag for a long period of time?

Yes, this is where drip acclimation is best avoided for reasons noted in prior posts. Venting CO2 rich air from the bag is what drives up the pH which in turn transforms ammonium into ammonia. That's bad.

Originally Posted by hairalgae85

If the pH on the bag is say 7.3, and my quarantine tank is 8.0, temp adjusting by floating then releasing in 8.0 pH (.6 tenth increase) should be okay?

Yes, should be OK. I never bother to equalize pH and have had very few acclimation-related losses over the last decade.

[BonesCJ]

Just from personal experience I've had best luck so far with temp acclimate then placing in the tank.

[hairalgae85]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

If a fish has been in the bag for a short period of time, there wlll not be much if any buildup of ammonia, and respiration will not have driven up CO2 in the bag therefore the pH should not have dropped. You can drip acclimate these if you wish, though best practice remains salinity match to a QT.



Yes, this is where drip acclimation is best avoided for reasons noted in prior posts. Venting CO2 rich air from the bag is what drives up the pH which in turn transforms ammonium into ammonia. That's bad.



Yes, should be OK. I never bother to equalize pH and have had very few acclimation-related losses over the last decade.

I'm typing on a phone, highlighting what you said to follow up is way to difficult lol

Just to clarify, I was reading a fenner article as well as others, and from what I gathered, use a pH down on new water, to.loeer the pH is fresh saltwater, and out contents in there then drop while they are in fresh new water, albeit lower pH.

I can see that, but one would need an accurate pH monitor, which I don't, so I believe that roles that out for me.

I believe I am going to float for 20 minutes tops, then drop in. My salinity is 1.019 in tank.

The guy who is transhipping these in for me is trying to emphasize pouring the fish and water in bucket, immidiatly dose with prime to neutralize ammonia, and drip for two hours, and use an air line, no air stone.

Believe for me, floating and placing in tank with no drip would be best

[hairalgae85]

Just an update. 4 out of 15 came dead on arrival.

The others I float acclimated and placed in after 20 minute float. They all torpedoed to bottom, when they laid flat for the night, lights out. Some are up and moving, a few are still in there side.

Won't be doing this transhipper thing anymore. Not sure if ones still on their side will pull thru.

Salinity of my tank is 1.019, in the bag was 1.018. temp I imagine was close , it felt close, not much water in bag, floated for 20 minutes

[ca1ore]

You didn't say, what kind of fish?

[hairalgae85]

The doas were 3 Moorish idols (complete accidental order, did not want them) and a regal angel.

The stuff that is living are two small regal, 4 nasos, clown trigger, humu hunu trigger, panther grouper, large and small emperor